Wet vacuum pumping apparatus



June 26, 1923. Re. 15,637

I. C. JENNINGS WET VACUUM PUMPING APPARATUS Original Filed June 15 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 26, 1923.-

I. CL JEN NINGS WET VACUUM PUMPING APPARATUS Original Filed June 15 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 26, 1923.

I. C. JENNINGS WET VACUUM PUMPING APPAR ATUS Original Filed June 15 1917 4 Sheets-$heef I vwenkoz June 26, 1923. A Re. 15,637

I. C. JENNINGS WET VACUUM PUMPING APPARATUS Original Filed June 15 1 17 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 avwmwoz 5 Ski-smug:

Reissued June 26, 1923.

UNITED. STATES Re. 15, 31 P TENT OFFICE.

IBVING C. J'ENNTNGS, OF SOUTH NOBWALK. CONNECTICUT. ASSIGNOR TO NASH EN- GINEEBING COMPANY, SOUTH NOB-WALK, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTQIICUT.

wm VACUUM PUMPING Arran-ATUs.

Original Fo- 1,447,854, dated March 6, 1928, ei'ial No. 774,953, filed June 15, 1917. Application for reissue filed KaylS, 1923. Serial No. 639,189,

T b all tchom it may concern:

Be it known that I. Invixo Jnxxixos,

a citizen of the I'nited States, residing at South Xorwalk, county of Faii'field, and State of Connecticut. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wet Vacuum Pumping Apparatus. of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates toa vet vacuum pumping apparatus. The object oft-he inapparatus in which the air and water are separated and the air exhausted by means of a pump and delivered into the atmosphere. the water being withdrawn by va separate'pump and dis-- charged against any desired pressure. Automatic means may be provided whereby the operation of the pumps is controlled accordthe quantity of water ing to the vacuum or Other objects and returned or by both.

features of the invention will be apparentfrom the: description taken inconnection with the dra-wings iu which: i I

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of my apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; I

Fig. Sis an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

" Fig. 4 is a sectional eleration throug h are centrifu al water-"pump taken substantially on the line 4-5 of Fig. 5 I Fig. 5is a longitudinal s'ectionalvie'w of the pumping unittaken substantially on the line 5- -5 of Figs'.4and 6';' g Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the h vdro-" turbine air pump taken substantially on the.

1 Fig. "8 1s ,FigJT'is' a view in elevation showing a i odified arrangement of the means for controlling" the operation of the pumps; v

' asectional detail taken substan- .tially on the line-M8 of Fig. 6 illustrating receiver into which water are discharged. the water collecting the construction for relieving the impeller of the centrifugal pump from end thrust; and 1 Fi 9 isa diagrammaticview illustrating thee ectric circuit having the motor and the switches therein. a

' Briefly stated my thereturns of air and in the bottom and the air'in the upper porsure to a desired amount.

flow into thislatter pipe and pressure operated apparatus comprises a .latter is connec-tedto exhaust the air and discharge. the same where desired. The water pump is connected to the lower portionof the receiver and withdraws the water from the latter and discharges it where desired. Means is providedwhereby the operation of the water pump is controlled by the quantity of water in the receiver and the operation of the air pump is controlled by theair pressure in the receiver. Thus if the quantity of water in the receiver exceeds a certain amount the water pump will be started and will operate to pump out the water from the receirer until thequantity therein has been reduced to a predetermined amount. Likewise if the air pressure within the air pump will, be set in operation to thereby exhaust the air and reducethe pres- I have shown an embodiment. of my appaa vacuum and at the same time the hotcondensate must be freed from air and deliveredtoxthe steamboiler. Although an ap aratus of this tv'pe has been described it will be apparent that the apparatifis is adapted for any service where it is required that both airv water either hot or cold must be handled under a vacuum.

Referring t9 the drawings. .the returns 1 from the heating system are connected so as to d scharge through a strainerll into the upper portion of the receiver or tank 12.

Either or both of these returns may be used. the flowin thesai'neb'eing controlled by the valves 13 and 14. In case it is not desired to use.the'apparatus. the returns may be discharged-into a conne: tion '15 to the sewer. the being controlled by the valves. 16 and" 16'. The tank 12 which may be mounted on a support or base 17 is provi(led'atthe top' thereof with an air, outlet pi 18 which'is connectedto a header 19.-As 5 Own this header extends parallel with the tank'and at each side of the T which connects the pipe 18 and the header is ,i'atus which is particularly adapted for" moved from the piping in order to maintain charges throu and end of. the header 19 as viewed in Figs.

1 and 2, is joined to a riser 22 which connects with the air iiilet of the air pump .of the.

pum ing. unit 23. The other end of the bee. er 19 connects with ariser 24 which at its lower end is connected to the air inlet of the air ump of another pumpin unit 25.

I have s own anapparatus provided with two independentpumpmg. units so connected with the receiver that either or both of the I units may be operated. As these unitsare duplicates; of one another it will sufiice-to describe one of'them, and this-will be done more in detail hereinafter. g

The water inlet 26'of the water pum of the unit 23 is connected to aheader 27,1wliich in tur'nis connected by means of 'a pipe 28 with one end of the receiver at a slight distance above the bot-tom thereof, whereby a certain quantity of water is always present in the receiver. The header 27 is also connected with the water inlet of thewater ump of the unit '25, the valves 29 and 30 being rovided in the header to control the flow water to the different pum'pin units.

The .air from the air pump of unit 23 is discharged through a riser 31, a check valve 32, t-hrou h a separator 33 into a header whichlschar es into the atmosphere throush'the out et 35. 'The separator 33 is pl'ovi ed for the purpose 'of collecting any water which may be in the airdischar ed from the pump and returning the water tlius" collected intothe receiver. In order to an, toniatically return this water into the receiver the separator. \33 isprovided with a float controlled valve '36 through whichthe water-passes from-the separator 33'into the line 37 leading to the receiver. It will be apparent that when sufiicient water has col-,

lected in .the receiver '33 to raise the float- 'that the valve 36 will be opened andas the pressure in the discharge line of the pump- 13 greater than that within-the receiver the water will be forced through the valve 36 and line 37 into the tank. 12. The valve 32 is provided toprevent. the return or influx of air whenthe airpump is not in operation, The pumping unit discharges the air from the air pump through a riser 38, "a check valve 39' and separator 40 into the -hea er 34.

The water pump of the unit 23 disg "the outlet 41 into a header 42 which by means of a pi 43 ma be connected 1 to the steam boilt r. A check valve 44 is provided in this line to prevent the return of water into the pump and a stop valve 45 is arranged in the header between the check valve 44am]: the pipe 43. The outlet 46 of the pumping unit 25 is con-- nected in -a like manner .withthe pipe 43 leadingto the boiler. The umping unit 23 Is adapted to bedriven through a direct n by' means of a motor .47 and the g unit may be mcfi nted lred. In a similar manng unit 25 is driven by a this latter motor and the 5 may be mounted on a simi-' or and-pum on a base 48 if des ner' the pumpi motor 47 and umping unit 2 ar base 48.

. In the operation of the hydro-turbine air .is entrained in the air andh the air discharged from y itis necessary to th a certain amount water. For this purpose, I have pe 49 which is connected to the oint below the connection of s to the water pum water in--the tank is t of connection of the ways be a sup The connection rpump is shown at 50 is connection is e connection50 the header52 which in turn-- the pipe 49. The other end ged to supply the ith make-up'water anner as the unit 23. It willuantity of ma upon t e size of the i Fig. 8). It will be water on the orifice the water in the're-' ally constant and conseply of make-up water e air pump, irre ecressure or'vacuum maintained pump some water carried away wit .plug 51, th

be obvious th water depends plug 51 v(see the head of V 103 due to the level of 'ceiver is substanti quently, aunifor 1 will be delivere 'tive of the p by the pump.

The operation of the trolled by regulating .swl conventional design; Th .-operated automatically .the quantity of water i this purpose the float type, is arran arranged to rotate a the arm' 56, the roc through the wall of the outside of the ta a lever '57 ,hav thereof and'th opposite side .of' th adaptedv to .o the link .59. when the water a predetermined-point the suflicie'nt weight be operatechthu's the pumping unit withdrawn from th -54 falls. to a again operate H ergy tothe motor. Thus th the water pum tity of water i noted that um ma be conage hideout e switch 53 may be to correspond with n the receiver. For 54 of the open bucket hinthe receiver and, -55 through shaft, extending receiver, the end mounted thereon t 58 on one end projecting to the e rock-shaft 55 .andrate the switch 53 through he arrangement is such that receiver rises to float 54 will lose so that the shaft, 55 will starting the motor and The water will then be e receiver until the float where the switch 53 issupply of en-- e operation of ing a'weigh e other end to cut of the n the .receiver or; heatin "control-the. operatlon of the air puglp. For this 1 sw that this means for controlling manner the pressure of the air within the system may be used to urpose a diaphragm control itch o conventional design may be connected with the air tank b; means of a pipe 61 and the switch arm-an to control the operation of the motor. en the air pressure within the 'tank exceeds a. certain amount, the switch 60 will be thrown to supplythe motor with ener 'thus'starting the, air

pump, which wil continue to operate until the'pressure has been reduced to such an amount thatthe dia hragm switch 60 will be thrown out, there y cutting ofi the sup'- ply of energy to the motor. It is obvious the air and water pumps may be worke at difie'rent times or simlrltaneously. I

I will now proceed todescribe one of the pumping units; [Referring to Figs. '4, 5 and- 6,- the pumps are housed 'within a casing 70, the airpump'bein'g-arranged 'at the right and the water pur 'lrli pl at the left thereof as viewed in Bi 1 5. e'c'asingtO is provided at the ends t ereof with the roller bearings 7-1-and 72 in which is supported the shaft '7 3, which carries the rotors for both the pumps. The impeller 74 of the water 'pump is mounted on the shaft in position to rotate within the water casing 5 and this impeller is. provided with water inlet openings 76 which lead from the water inlet chamber 7 7 which is supplied-through the pump inlet connection 78. The discharge from the water. pump is shown at 79.

, The rotor 80 of the air pump lsprovided with displacement chambers and is mounted on the. I

bearing-71 beingarranged to'take any end is formed with two diametrically 0 inlet= openin 84 and the side 83- is ormed tical'casing the'inletopening pump is supplied appear shaft 73 with a sliding fit, the

n the shaft. This thrust that may come u v in an elliptical casrotor 80 is arranged'wit mg 81 carried withinthe miin casin 70.

The, elliptical casing .81 is clos'ed at the inlet side of the airpump by the side piece 82 and on the dischargeside of. the pump by the; discharge piece 83.f The side piece 82 posite with two di metrically opposite outlet openings 85. As these latter openings would not in Fig. 6, they are shown dotted thereiri' The air for the airpump is fed throng the'inlet-openin 86 formed inthe casing 70 into the space 1 around .the ellips Q1 and it then passes through 84 into. the pump. This with water which wherf the rotor is rotated, due to the centrifugal force assumesjithe ring forum-shown in Fig. 6. .Airfedj-intthroughi the inlets 84 will thus fillthe spaoehetween the blades of the rotor and the msidesurfaceof the water; As the rotor r tatesannd approaches the outlet 'opena .ings j8 5fthisvspacewill become smaller as the inside surface of the water approaches the hub of the rotor, thus forcing airout through the outlets 85 and into thedischarge {condu1t87. v v It will thus be seen that .the rotary gas or air pump employs water for its pumping action and-that the said pump operates to exhaust the gas from the system by thesuction and displacement action of-the water in the displacement. chambers ,of the rotor. thereof.

It will be obviousin the operation of this air pumpthat the ,it some water and-as previously tate'd it is necessary to supply this air pump with water to make up for that entralnedin and carried off by the air. Onemeans for doing air will carr along1 withthis has already been described, In Fig. 5

another means for accomplishingthis result isshown. The casing-7 5 of the water turbine pump is shown-as formed with a port 88' at oneside of the hub of theim l er. Thus water which'leak'sby'this hu pass through the port 88' and supply the air pump with the ne ssary make-up water. The hydro-turbine pump is described more will in detail in Patent 1,091,529 granted :March 31, v1914. g 113 will be observed that there is no stuffing box between the air pump and the water pump. This construction is made possible because of the Bkpressure relief afforded by v the pipe 49 1e it-is possible to able stufiing ing unit. The construction for chamberlOO in the impeller. of pressure, and supplying is shown in the detail view -Fig. 8.- The water issupplied, from the receiver through pipe 49, header 52 and connection 50. this latter pipe communicating withfcondtiit 1 02 formed'm the inter ior wall of the centrifugal casing- This conduit has its inner-end opening to chamber in the impeller. Consequently any leakage which may flow mg to the receiver. do away with the objectionrelieving t box in the interior of the pump- Thus 1 the air pump with make-up water to this chamber from the impeller blades is immediatelyrelieved through the conduit 102. The make-up water for the air pump flows through orifice 103 in the "plug 51 into the chamber'104 around the elliptical casing lot theairqpumpgthe-orifice being inade of the correctsize to supply the. proper quantityof water. r

In the-operationof myapparatus thefirst returns throughfthdpipes 10 flow into the receiver 12- and the water flows throughthe pipe 49xto supply theair pump. .When the level of water'in the receiver rises above the entrance to pipe 28iwater-will' 'floyv into the centrifugal will 'be'displaced, being driven "out through the pipe 188 which is connected intofthe pipe 19f-"Tlius when =the switch 53-" is o we b t t .ieesi P m w l x waterpumpland T the air therein iao I i started and the centrifugal water pu'm will out to the required water to supp y the is pumped level and the air ump I continues to operate it will take practically I no 1 o.

' latter and it ,wer to rotate the impeller of the tri ugal pump as no'water is censupplied' to the thus becomes airbound. When the air within the receiver has been ex-" pump of such duced to the level of the a no work an connected to t e three feet of water has at the switch therefore is means-and the diaphragm in connectionwith water pump is unloaded hausted to the i'required reduced pressure, the diaphragm switch will be operated. to throw ofl the supply of energy to the motor. Thus the pum s' will 'cease to operate.

It is desirab a size that it will have a caacity eater than-the amount of liquid to Be h n l ed at any time. Thus the receiver whenever the pumps are operated will have the water removed therefnom quickly and promptly before the air has been exhausted .to the desired pressure. Consequently the centrifugal take but little power. a a Fig. 7 shows another construction for an tomaticall "controlling the operation of the pumps, 1 this arrangement a. single' diaphragm switch 90 of receiverortank, 91 near the bottom thereof by meansof a1 pipe 92'.

Thus. the action of example, assume that the diaphragm is set to operate the switch and start e pump when the vacuum drops below 7 inches of mercury and stop uum reaches 10 nches of mercury and fur, ther assume that the pump has, just. been stopped-- because the vacuum of IQ inches has been reached. Now whilethe vacuum re mains at. 10 inches the receiver to fill up. with water. When ap roximately accumu ated in the receiver 91, a pressu e eq a .to ofmcrcury is roducedat the diaphragm switch due to t of height of water and in addition tothe air'pre'ssure, 'The vacuum 4 now T'inches, which causes the switch tooperate, thus starting the pump which continues to work. until the water in the receiver has been repumpintake pipe or until the combined water and,- air pressure is' equivalent to 10 inches of: mercury.

' It will thus be apparent that in this form of the controller t e diaphragm switch takes the place of the bucket-float controlling the-previously described cmibgdiment of: the invention. f a

the wer'consumption o 0 pumps is mall and pump will operate to e to use a centrifugal water (pump although rotated w ll do conventional design is the switch is controlled d by the water or air pressure or both. For

the. pump when the vac-.1

three inches condensation from th of a rotary gas pump switch illustrated pensed with if desired. In installations where a centrifugal pump has been used as a a boiler feed often that when the boiler pressure exceeds the presure against which the pump will discharge .that the impeller will churn through ,the water without discharging it thereby heating and converting'the water into steam which causes a back pressure in the feed line. Consequently turbine pumps as boilenfeed pumps'have not been suc- It will be observed that in connection with my apparatus that this condition of affairs can not happen as the centrifugal pump discharges turns from the heating system and water inthe receiver has been reduced to the required level the centrifugal pump becomes air-bound and continues to rotate merely churning air instead of water. This 1s a very important feature of my apparatus and is one of thereasons wh control may be dispensed with.

Havin thus described the invention what is claime and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is Y v v 1. A water and air pumping apparatus for use in a vacuum steam heating-system comprising a receiver for air and water, a

pump for withdrawing water from said reautomatic rawing air from said- .for supplying said latter pump with makeup water from waterv in-the system.

2. The co bination with the separating chamber of a vacuum steam heating system, of a rotary gas pump employing water for its pumping action and vided with displacement chambers, said pump being connected and operating to exaust thegas from the system by the suction and displacement action of the water in .said chambers, and a water'pump connected and operating to withdraw water 01" 3t The combination chamber of a'vacuum steam heating! system,

its pumpin action'and having a rotor pro-- vided 'wit displacement pump being connected and operating to exaust the gas from the s in said cham and to retain all the water in the system, and a water ump connected andoperating to circulate t ewater of conrlensatio'n back to the boil .er. t 4." The combination with the separating chamber of a vacuum its pumping action and ham h t I vided with ng as t a can ifuga when not handling pump, it has been found very' chambers, said a ysfem y the ue tion and disgelgement action of the water to x:

ceiver and a hydro-turbine pump for withreceiver,and means having a rotor 'pro-- e separating chamber. with the separating;

employing water for n5 water for a ing action,

V governed by liquid and gas,

mes:

tion and displacementyaction of the water in said chambers, connections for supplying the gas pump with water-for its operation from the System, and a water pump connected and operating ,to withdraw water of condensation -from the chamber.

5. The combination with the separating chamber of a vacuum steam heating system, of a rotary gas pump connected ,to the chamber and employing water for its pumpand a waterpump connected to and operating to withdraw the water of condensation from" the separating chamber, the connection between the water pump and the separating chamber being at a higher level than the connection between the gas pump and the separating chamber, whereby the gas ump will contain its operating water ans will continue inoperation when the water pump has'exhausted the water in the separating chamber down to the level of its connection therewith. I

6. An apparatus for use in connection with the return main or-mains of a vacuum steam heating system comprising a gas 'pump for exhausting the gas from the system, a water pump for withdrawing the water of condensation, and connections for relievingv the water pump from gas.

7. A water and air pumping system comprising a receiver for air and water, a pump for -withdrawing air from the receiver and a second pump for withdrawing water therefrom, and means for controlling the operation of said pumps governed by the pressure and amount of water in said receiver.

8. A water and air pumping system comprising a receiver for air and water, a pump for withdrawing water from said receiver, a second pump separately connected to said receiver for withdrawing air therefrom, and means for controlling the operation of said pumps governed by the pressure and amount of water in said receiver.

9. A liquid and gas pumping apparatus including in combination, a receiver for liquid and gas, an electric motor, a'pumping unit comprising a liquid pum and a gas exhausting pump connected to oper- "ated by said motor, said pumps being disposed at a lower elevation than the normal level of water in said receiver and having their inlets in communication with the receiver, a switch controlling the operation of said motor and means to actuate said switch the amount of liquid in the receiver.

10. A liquid and gas pumping apparatus including in combination, a {receiver for an electric motor, a liquid pump and a gas exhausting pump connected to be operated by sa" motor and disposed at a IOWBIBIQVfltlOH't an the normal water level in said receiver, said pumps having including in combination,

7 the suction chamber and their inlets in communication with the receiver, a switch controlling the operation of said motor and means to actuate said "switch governed by the pressure in the receiver, said liquid pump being of a larger capacity than necessary to handle the liquid if run continuously. a

11. A liquid and gas pumping apparatus a receiver for liquid and gas, an electric motor, a liquid pump and a gas exhausting pump connected to be operated by said motor, said pumps having their inlets in communication with the receiver, a break in the electric circuit to the motor, and means to close said break when the pressure the receiver exceed predetermined amounts.

12. A water and gas pumping apparatus for use in a vacuum steam heating system including in combination, a receiver for water and gas. a pum for withdrawing the water from the rece1ver,.a hydro-turbine pump for exhausting gas from the receiver, and means to supply the hydro-turbine pump with make-up water from water in the receiver.

13. A liquid and gas pumping apparatus including in combination, a receiver for the liquid and gas, a centrifugal pump for withdrawing the liquid from the receiver disosed at a lower elevation than the normal evel of water in the receiver, said pump having a liquid pipe connectin chamber with th receiver an a gas pipe affording communication between the top of receiver, for the purpose set forth.

14. A liquid and gas pumping apparatus including in combination, a receiver for the liquid and gas, a centrifu a1 drawing li uid from sai receiver disposed at a lower glevation than the normal level of water in said receiver, a rotary pump directl connected with said centrifugal pump to ex aust gas from said receiver, and a gas pipe rovi ing communication between the top 0 the sucton chamber of the centrifugal pump-and the top of the receiver, for the purpose set forth. 15. A liquid and gas pumping apparatus including in combination, a receiver for liquid and gas, a centrifugal pump for withdrawing li uid from said receiver disposed at a lower e evation than the normal level of water in said receiver, a? rotary pump directly connected with said centrifugal pump to exhaust gas from said receiver, means to pump for withcontrol the operation of said pumps govthe pressure in the receiver, and a providing communication between ernedby gas P P the top of the suction chamber of the centrifugal pump andthe top of the receiver, fort e purpose set forth.

16. A liquid' and gas pumping apparatus for use in a vacuum steam heating system or quantity of liquid in the top of the its suction including in combination, a receiver for liquid and gasi a. centrifugal pump for withtype an the liqui from sai drawing liqui receiver, a liquidturbine gas pump to exhaust as from said receiver, means to supply said gas pump with make-up liquid and means to separate out liquid from th gas discharged by the gas pum and return it to the receiver.

17. A liquid and gas pumping apparatus including in combination, a receiver for liquid and gas, a liquid and gas exhausting pump, each having their inlets connected to the receiver, the gas pump being of the hydro-turbine type and disposed at an elevation below the normal water level in the receiver, and a conduit extending from the receiver below said Water level to the gas pump to supply make-up water.

18. A liquid and gas pumping apparatus including in combination, a receiver for li uid and as, a pum ing unit comprising a iquid an?! a gas ex austing pump each having their inlets connected to the receiver, the gas ump bein of the hydro-turbine (f pump being of a capacitg greater than necessary to handle the iqui 1f run continuously, said unit being disposed at an elevation below the normal water level in the recelver, av conduit extending from the receiver below said water level to the gas pump tosupply make-up water and means to'coiitrol the operation of said umps in accordance with the amount of iquid-zin'the receiver.

19. A--liquid and-gas pumping apparatus including in combination, a receiver for liquid and gas, a pumping unit comprising a iquid pump and a gas exhausting pump, the gas pump being of the hydro-turbine type and the liquid pump being of the turbine type, said unit being disposed at an elevation below the normal water level in the receiver, a conduit extending from-the receiver below said water level to the gas pump to supply make-up water, and a pipe providing communication between tfi top of the suction chamber of the liquid pump and the top of the receiver.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

IRVING C. JENNINGS. 

